Douglas Annand (1903-1976) was one of Australian's most outstanding 20th century designers. His major clients included Qantas, David Jones, Mobil, P&O Orient Line, C.S.R., Universities of Melbourne and New South Wales, Bank of Adelaide and publisher, Sydney Ure Smith.

He attained international recognition for his graphic design through representation in international design magazines such as Graphis and Modern Publicity. He was the principle designer for the Australian Pavillion at the 1939 New York World's Fair and the New Zealand Exhibition of 1940.

In 1938 he created preliminary designs for three new Australian coins, including the kangaroo design for the penny. In 1963 he was involved in the design process for the new decimal currency. Annand won many competitions and awards, including the Sir John Sulman award in 1941, 1947 and 1951 for his mural designs and two national textile design competitions.

This collection, which was acquired in 1990, provides a comprehensive record of Douglas Annand's work over a period of more than forty years with all of the major and most of the lesser commissions and projects included. This archival collection has been divided into tow components, the archive (90/58-1) and other associated objects (90/58-2:172). The archive includes catalogues, notebooks, sketches, drawings, photographs, posters and correspondence documenting Annand's life and work. The object collection includes ceramic tiles from the P&O building, textiles, metal and glass objects and moulds for Firsthand objects.

The Powerhouse Museum acquired a second Annand archive in 1998 (98/189/1), much of this related to Annand's architectural designs. Apart from this two highly significant archival collections, the Museum also holds major architectural murals and sculptures which have been removed from buildings during demoition or refurbishment, including the ACI glass sculptures, etched glass panels and the metal celestial globe from the foyer of the P& O building on Hunter Street, Sydney, and a glass mural from Anzac House.

Douglas Annand (1903-1976)
Commercial artist, illustrator, graphic and textile designer, glass and mural designer

Annand's early career began as a commercial artist / graphic design in Brisbane and then Sydney, producing magazine covers and advertisements, designing labels, wrapping papers, and later textiles for various corporate clients. Some his most significant early graphic art appeared between 1935-1939 while designing posters and covers and advertisements for Sydney Ure Smith's publications, 'The Home', 'Art in Australia', and the 'National Journal Australia'.

During World War II, Annand was a camouflage artist with the Royal Australian Air Force. Stationed for two years in North Queensland, he painted and drew regularly, and exhibited water-colours in Sydney and Melbourne.

Annand received his first mural commissions shortly before the WWII, receiving international recognition for murals designed for the Australia Pavillion at the New York's World Fair of 1939. He also completed major murals for the Peninsular and Oriental (P&O) Steam Navigation Company, the office of radio station 2UE, and the University of Melbourne's Wilson Hall. Annand won the Sulman prize for his murals on three occasions - 1941, 1947, 1951.

From the mid-1950s, Annand developed an interest in architectural work, like the large glass structures he completed in 1966 for the Colonial Sugar Refining (CSR) Co., in Sydney. In his later years, Annand also produced small household objects, ashtrays, paperweights, and such things.

References:
'Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol 13, 1940-1980, A-De,' 1993, p.60.
Exhibition catalogue, Douglas Annand Watercolours 1935-50, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville, 1988.
Anne McDonald, Douglas Annand: the art of life', National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, 2001

Annand's archive was acquired from the Annand family some years after Douglas Annand's death, when the contents of his studio were being dispersed.
At that time the National Gallery of Australia also acquired an Annand collection much of which appeared in their 'Douglas Annand: the art of life' exhibition and publication (2001).
The Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales's Annand collection was transferred to the Powerhosue Museum in 1998 (98/189/1).

Archive, design, Douglas Annand, mostly produced in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1930-1975, and including graphics, photography, textiles, sketches, publications, artworks and sculptures, the collection providing a comprehensive record of Douglas Annand's work over a period of more than forty years with all of the major and most of the lesser commissions and projects included.
The archival collection is divided into two distinct components:
- archival material (90/58-1)
- associated objects (90/58-2:172).
The archival material (90/58-1/1:41) includes catalogues, notebooks, sketches, drawings, proof prints, advertisements, photographs, posters, exhibition catalogues, correspondence and other material documenting Annand's life and work.
The object collection (90/58-2:172) includes a number of artworks and sculptures made by Annand, including ceramic tiles from the P&O building, textiles, metal and glass objects and moulds for Firsthand objects.

Designed: Annand, Douglas; Sydney

Made: Annand, Douglas; Sydney; 1930 - 1975


Used: Annand, Douglas;

Owned: Annand, Douglas;

See parts

90/58